


The Emerald Vale Incident

by fandomgeek14



Category: The Outer Worlds (Video Game)
Genre: Age Difference, Autism, Autistic Captain, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Head Injury, Leg Injury, Love Confessions, Major Character Injury, Seizures, my take on flaws in game being more serious than they actually are in game, parvati and the captain are best friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22053517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomgeek14/pseuds/fandomgeek14
Summary: An unfortunate, life threatening accident causes the Captain of The Unreliable to become permanently injured and prompts the Vicar on board to confess something to her, forcing them both to face the facts about their feelings, regardless of the future implications.
Relationships: Parvati Holcomb/Junlei Tennyson, The Captain & Ellie Fenhill, The Captain & Felix Millstone, The Captain & Parvati Holcomb, The Captain & Phineas Welles, The Captain/Maximillian DeSoto
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	The Emerald Vale Incident

**Author's Note:**

> Happy (early) New Year!  
> just a quick note before you read this story, this my first fanfic for The Outer Worlds, and I'm not too far into the game (I've only just met Max and am currently doing part one of his quest because i got it for Christmas and started the game on the day after boxing day) but I know the plot of the game and most of the characters from videos of it online (spoiler free of course) with the exception of SAM and Nykoa, so sorry if the depictions of them in this fic isn't 100% accurate and they should be a bit more consistent with their characters in the future, just thought you deserved a heads up.  
> I hope you enjoy reading this fanfic!  
> ~Fandomgeek14

They were in the Emerald Vale when it happened. They had only returned to get something from the church in Edgewater, something he probably could have done without but still, they were bored and on a break. It was his stupid decision to go out in the dark of night. The they in this situation, were Vicar Max DeSoto, Parvati Holcomb and the Captain of the Unreliable, or sometimes known as the stranger, or the Unseen Variable or even by the name of Alex Hawthorne, but to those with her on the road to Edgewater, she was known as Cassiopeia ‘Cassie’ Layton.

Cassie was not from Halcyon. she was in fact one of the hundreds of thousands cryogentically frozen people from the doomed Earth colony ship _The Hope_ , which had set sail so to speak in 2285, and failed to reach Halcyon by its expected deadline. She, and what was left of the colonists arrived at their destination in 2330 but it was another twenty five years before she saw the light of day, when rouge scientist Phineas Welles released her from cryo-status after injecting her with a solution that would prevent her from turning into a grey liquid substance that would be the result of explosive cell death, and those events had lead her to taking the name Captain Alex Hawthorne (after the original captain Hawthorne got squished by the pod she arrived on) and lead her to meeting her new friends that made up the crew of the Unreliable and were joining her on her quest to help Phineas with his mission against the Board. However, unfortunately, it was also Cassie that was to be the subject of the tragic accident that was about to occur. 

“Oh! I’ve never seen the city from up on the rocks at night before” Cassie commented as they passed a cluster of rocks near the small volcano on the way to Edgewater “do you think we could see if it was even more beautiful from up there at night?” 

The Vicar and The Engineer stopped walking and turned to look at their captain. 

“Is that your way of asking if we could go up and see the view?” Max asked “because that sure doesn’t seem dangerous at all” sarcasm dripping from his voice 

“We’ve got enough light to see in front of us” Cassie said a grin on her face “we’ll be fine” 

“And we’re going to Edgewater for you, In exchange for a view like that? with no offense taken vicar, I’d join her up there” Parvati said clearly taking Cassie’s side of things, she had not meant to be rude, she was just slightly bored of walking, taking that as a agreement to do it, Cassie started to head in the direction of the rocks before the vicar could say another word.

“you’re just being a grumpy old man, no offence meant Vicar” the captain called as she ran up to the rocks and started to trudge up them one foot at a time

“Well at least I’m not acting like immature children” he grumbled back “Captain, I suggest you come down from there now, because that definitely seems very safe” 

“again, drop the sarcasm DeSoto, and join me up here” The Captain was now stood on the highest point of the rock and Max noticed Parvati had followed her up there, to see the navy turning black sky with the planets appearing above the twinkling city of Edgewater

“It’s really beautiful up here” she smiled

“Vicar, sir, Cassie is right, you’re missing out” Parvati agreed with her

“Well, I really have to get this book from my office preferably before the Behemoths come out or Marauders get us” Max said making a very good point, so good that it made Cassie change her mind about the brief consideration of staying on there the whole night, she really didn't fancy dealing with any danger right now

“Okay, fine, that’s enough site-seeing for one day” Cassie conceded to the Vicar's suggestion “come on, Parvati, lets go”

“It really was a good view wasn’t it? i'm definitely going to tell Junlei about it next time I see her, maybe I'll even show it to her” Parvati agreed as she stepped off the rocks into the grassy plain underneath them “be careful on your way down Captain, it’s slippery and wet from the earlier rainfall” 

“Don’t worry, I’m always-“ 

“Captain watch out!” 

But Parvati’s warning came too late, the Captain had lost her footing and plummeted from the moderately high rocks onto the ground below. 

* * *

Thud. 

“Captain!” 

Parvati and Max hurried to the unconscious woman on the floor by the rocks and knelt besides her, immediately feeling her for any sign of life.

“Okay, she’s breathing, she’s alive” Parvati said checking her breathing “thank goodness” 

“we’re not too far away from the ship, it’s too risky to carry her the way by ourselves, without a trained medic, Parvati, you have to go and get doctor Fenhill”

“What are you going to do Vicar?”

“Stay with her, we don’t know how badly injured she is, if I go it’ll take longer, I’m not as young as I used to be” 

“ I’ll be right back, keep an eye out for primal behemoths and please try to keep her alive” the engineer told Max before turning to the Captain “it’ll be alright Captain, help will be here soon” she whispered to her best friend before running in the direction they came. 

In the next second it was just Max and Cassie alone in the Emerald Vale exposed to anything or anyone out in the open and on top of that it was starting to rain once more.

“Why do you have to be so immature and have so much stupidity?” Max muttered “and now you’ve potentially got yourself killed for Architect’s sake” he shook his head but immediately regretted the last sentence. Putting that thought in his head terrified him, and not even the Architect could protect him from that fear. You see, the young Captain has always intrigued and fascinated the Vicar in a way that started when he first met her in Edgewater, and in a way he never thought would be possible for him. Especially considering he was a man of the cloth and at most something like thirty years older than her. Luckily the OSI permitted such feelings to their clergymen, since that clearly didn’t matter to them as long as where you are supposed to be and not stray from place in life. but that still didn’t help the glaring age gap that had made him reluctant of telling her that he reciprocated her feelings. Oh, yes Max knew she had feelings for him but she was terrified of the age gap. Thanks to an incident involving a truth serum drug and the Captain, the entire crew knew it (but that was a story for another day). 

“Ugh, bloody hell, that hurt” a seriously quiet voice startled Max out of his thoughts 

”Don’t move yourself, that was quite a fall, Captain, and we're unsure of how badly your injuries are at the moment“ Max stated trying to be as comfort as possible without touching her “but by the looks of things you haven’t lost any linguistic abilities” 

“I was half expecting you to tell me I told you so so and that I was stupid for climbing up wet rocks” she told him a little bit amused at her own idiocy. 

“It wasn’t me that said that but yourself” Max replied “and I will hold you to that when you try telling them I was an insensitive bastard” 

"where's Parvati?" 

"Miss Holcomb has just gone back to the ship and is bringing back Doctor Fenhill"

Cassie tried to move herself but found she couldn’t really move her left leg, and that’s when she noticed the the burning, stabbing feeling in her leg, she cried out in pain, which made Max even more concerned for the Captain as well as a shout from someone, that sounded very much like a Marauder. 

“What did I just say? Now shush, I just heard something” Max glanced in the direction of the voice before he heard it again. 

“I swear I heard someone” the voice was closer and he saw the flash of typical marauder clothing heading in their direction, oh by law they would be in deep trouble if they were seen, 

“Fuck” he cursed “we’ve got Mauraders, please tell me you can walk?” 

There was a pause

“Cassie” Max prompted urgency in his voice

“...No I don’t think so, but i didn't try so...I don’t know” 

“Well then I’m going to have to drag you, and it will probably hurt, but you’re going to have to be quiet or in the Architect’s name, you’ll get us into more trouble and I'm not in the mood for defending an injured captain tonight” _liar, you'd defend her whatever the situation, you'd never be able to lice with yourself if you didn't_. his mind told him, _shut up Max_ , _this was not the time for those thoughts,_ even if those thoughts were true and he was worried about losing her forever constantly. 

Cassie nodded in understanding before she but her tongue as Max got hold of her and carefully but quickly dragged her further behind the rock and out of the marauder's sight. 

“God damn it” she hissed in pain 

“Do you want to get us killed?” 

“....no” 

“Hey! I thought you heard something?” Another voice said to the first, and sounded like it was now right up against the other side of the rock. Cassie was trying so hard to remain quiet and found that holding her breath was probably the best course of option, so she did. 

“Well, I thought I did. It was probably a behemoth or something, we should get out of here before we get attacked" 

“Good” 

The footsteps disappeared into the distance leaving Max and Cassie on their own once more, both breathing out a breath one of them was unaware he was holding.

“Well that was easy” Max sighed “they sure were a pretty stupid pair- Cassie?”

Max looked at the Captain, and was surprised to see her shivering, clearly from from the cold and her eyes were dropping, which he figured that was not good a good sign. 

“Captain-Cassie, what’s wrong? tell me what's wrong with you” 

“Well... apart from being freezing cold... I’ve got a stabbing and burning feeling in my left leg, and I can’t move it as much as my right which means- uh, probably uh” Cassie said “oh nerve damage that’s it, I might have damaged a nerve in my leg and probably.... a concussion... from when I hit my head” her voice was becoming slightly slurred from the concussion and Max briefly wondered how she knew all this medical stuff. Then he remembered she has an intense special interest in that stuff thanks to her autism and probably knew a lot about different medical conditions. He also knew he had to do something to help her. 

“What do you need me to do?”

“want to sleep, but have to stay awake” Cassie whispered tiredly “talk to me. Keep me awake, just- just don’t let me sleep” 

Max nodded quickly in an understanding manor, that was simple enough. 

“What do you want to talk about?” He asked

“...don’t care” 

Noticing her shiver again, the Vicar took it upon himself to ask a question he knew he had to or she could die from hypothermia before the concussion took full effect.

“Can I wrap my arm around you? To try to regulate body heat, the rain is making you shiver, but I know you don’t like physical contact”

Cassie knew her touch sensitivity would one day potentially be the death of her and for the first time in her life, cursed herself for being autistic but she knew that even though it might make her uncomfortable, it was the best option, they didn’t know when help would arrive and it was getting darker than it was when they set out. 

“What about you?” 

“Heat is regulated both ways, it’ll be helpful for both of us” 

She nodded at Vicar Max in agreement and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder trying to keep her warm. 

“Why don’t you tell me what your childhood was like” he suggested 

“...What do you want to know?” 

“What did your parents do? You know what mine did, it’s only fair” 

Cassie paused and swallowed before answering. 

“My dad was a famous English astrologist, he wrote a lot of books and essays about the earth’s solar system, I think a few of his books were sent up with the first colony ship which is why he became famous, but that was before I was born, I should ask Junlei if they are still at the Groundbreaker when we next see her” Cassie explained “my mum worked in a bakery, she moved from Boston, America to London, England to open it up and stayed there, but she always wanted to see the stars which was probably why my father had an easy time convincing her to name their only child, after his favourite constellation in the Earth's solar system. we moved to America when i was twelve because my mum got sick, to be closer to her family when she passed, and even though it was difficult my parents gave most of their money to the poor and needy, so we weren’t rich like everyone expected us, they always said God asks us to help those with less than us but, my grandparents managed to pay for us to cross the boarder. as you know by now, my mum died a year later and my dad never saw the point of returning to England so tried to make his name in the USA” 

“God? Your parents were religious?”

“Uh huh, born and raised, not with Scientism though, they were Roman Catholic- so I believe in God instead of The Architect, sorry, although I found that Catholicism has a few small similarities to Scientism” 

“As do a lot of religions” 

“But it doesn’t benefit the corporations, nor is it a well constructed lie and it’s not a main religion here” Cassie said

“Or does it permit their priests falling in love and getting married, vow of chastity” Cassie said simply trying to make a joke “uh, I’m too dizzy to laugh.... bad idea” 

“Speaking of falling in love” Max changed the subject 

“Oh God, Max not you too- I was high off drugs” 

“It was a truth drug” 

“Maybe I tricked it?” 

“Cassie... I am not here to judge you, nor am I here to tease you” Max said “and after that incident, it made me realise I don’t want to be just friends, no, I cpuldn't be just friends with you” 

“Max... we can’t, I’m twenty four. And you’re- well, there’s a huge age gap anyway“ Cassie said sadly “and you see Parvati as a child and she’s twenty eight, you must see me as one too” 

Max stared at her, that was true, but she’d gotten the wrong end of the stick, 

“When I said Miss Holcomb was a child, I didn’t mean it as I saw her as one, partying, it’s immature and reckless and very childish I do not see her as a child. I see the twenties as the childish phase of life” 

“But even if that was true- the age gap- we can’t” 

“With all respect captain, you’re forgetting you were frozen for seventy years, so you are are technically ninety four years old” 

“I-still a big age gap either way” 

“I don’t think the Architect cares about age, nor does this God you worship, if he’s anything like the Architect, he’d only care about your place in the world. Or who you belong with” 

_'not exactly bang on the money, God is supposed to be guiding us down our path in life according to his plan for us, God does have a plan for us, perhaps this is part of it his plan for me?'_ Cassie thought before finally looked at the middle aged man next to her “you’re saying you return my feelings?” 

“If you want to put it that way” 

“well, Fancy that, the arsehole has a heart” 

Max laughed at that and Cassie found herself leaning into him, in her increasing wooziness, her head leaned against his chest and oddly enough she was more comfortable than uncomfortable with this situation. She could feel his heartbeat in his chest. It was lulling her into sleep, and she knew this was dangerous but she suddenly didn’t have the strength to get up and resist it. 

“Vicar! Captain!” She heard Parvati say distantly 

“Vicky! Max! What the happened to Captain Hawthorne?” Ellie Fenhill was heard calling, from quite far off, thank God, but Cassie couldn’t keep her eyes open at all. 

“Miss Layton? Cassie? Help us almost here and you’re making me look bad at my job, don’t fall asleep, for Architect’s sake, come on, Cassiopeia” Max was shaking her, urgently, but his voice was the most distant of all even though he was the closest to her, and despite his pleas, it was too late, and Cassie Layton drifted off into unconsciousness. 

* * *

_The aurburn haired captain was drifting in and out of consiousness as they arrived on the ship, and she could hear everything._

_"Captain Hawthorne has been injured, Felix get the door to her quarters" Ellie yelled_

_"what happened?" Felix asked_

_"she slipped off some rocks" Parvati replied_

_she felt herself land on something soft, her bed._

_"Parvati, i need you to hold this to her head for me, whilst I examine her leg"_

_oh so she'd hurt her head? that would explain the concussion, suddenly she felt a cold cloth being pressed to her forehead by calloused hands, probably in an attempt to bring down the probable bump on her head._

_"do you think she'll be okay?" Felix asked_

_"I hope so, or we'll be without a captain mr Millstone" Max was heard snapping at Felix_

_"fine, we're all worried about her, no need to be an asshole about it, I'll go and tell SAM, ADA, and Nyoka what has happened" Felix grumbled off. she then felt a hand take hers, it was slightly rough but more with age than anything else "you'll be alright, by law you'll be alright" yeah, Max was definitely there, righ by her side_

_if she could do anything to tell him she would but something didn't feel right. there was a feeling of unpleasantness, and she was smelling something that was not quite right, and she could feel herself starting to twitch, uncontrollably._

_"she's starting to seize"_

_"does that happen with concussion? w-what do we do?"_

_"it can happen, yes, get anything she can hurt herself on away from her, and turn her on her side, we need to keep her airways clear, do not hold her down" Ellie ordered "Max you need to step away from her"_

_"grand Architect, I beg of you, I'll do anything, anything you ask for, just please don't let me lose her" Cassie heard him whisper quietly and with her last bit of control she squeezed his hand in an attempt to let him know she'd make it, but she didn't know if her attempt was successful before she lost consciousness once more, just as Max let go of her hand._

* * *

She awoke to a familiar metallic room inside the Unreliable, but the first thing she could properly clock in the room was Ellie, stood at the foot of her bed, writing medical notes down.

“Captain Hawthorne! It’s alright, you’re back on the ship” 

Ellie, SAM, Nyoka and Felix were the crew members she had yet to tell of her real identity as Captain Cassiopeia Layton, she’d told Max after hearing our some advice from Parvati and the only reason Parvati knew of her identity was she was there when Cassie introduced herself to the boss of Edgewater before agreeing to let her join her on her mission. 

“What happened?” Cassie groaned, her voice croaky and sore, rubbing her head from the minor headache surfacing as soon as she woke up.

“You tripped off a rock and got concussed along with severe nerve damage to your leg-“

“I vaguely remember that bit but what happened after I lost consciousness?”Cassie asked 

“We got you back to the ship, where you then had a seizure due to your concussion and was induced into a coma for three days” Ellie stated “you’re lucky to be free of any lasting brain damage due to the concussion and seizure, although you may experience a bit of amnesia for a few days nothing major though. But your left leg, you’re not going to be able to move it as much as your right one anymore and it may be a bit difficult for you to dodge stuff, and you will be permanently saddled with a bit of a limp I’m afraid however, it might require a bit of physiotherapy to get it going properly again, if the Adreno doesn't work, but it’s nothing you can’t handle though” Ellie said the last bit with a reassuring smile

“How long will it take?” 

“I don’t know, it depends on whether you need physiotherapy or not I'm afraid” 

Cassie nodded slightly before she noticed there was a shadow in the doorway.

“You’re awake” Max stepped into the dim light of the room, looking at her with a twinge of worry in his voice as he spoke. 

“Thanks for pointing that out Captain obvious” Cassie replied sarcastically at the Vicar who, after realising she had to be alright if she was still making sarcastic remarks at him and then turned to Ellie, who looked amused at the Captain’s comment. 

“May I speak to the Captain privately? I need to speak to her about something important and cannot wait” he asked

"I'll go and get those Adreno for you now, be back in a minute, do not move from that bed, doctors orders" the doctor ordered the captain and Ellie smirked at the vicar as she passed him as if she knew something Cassie didn't before heading in the direction of the medical supplies without another word. 

“How are you feeling?” Max asked sitting on the chair by her bed, a slight look of relief on his face

“Like a fucking idiot” she sighed looking towards the end of the bed 

“By law, Cassie, You’re not a ‘fucking idiot’, just bad at judging situations” the Vicar commented “I prayed for you, that it wouldn’t be as bad as it seems” 

“Don’t go saying, that, that Architect of yours made me better. because it was Ellie with help from Parvati ” 

“No, the Architect couldn't physically heal you anyway, he's a metaphorical deity” 

“Well either way it didn’t do anything, I’m permanently crippled, or disabled, my leg is shot from nerve damage and I can’t move as fast and I’m going to slow everyone down, Phineas is going to be pissed with me, they won’t someone even more imperfect as a leader if we take down the board and if they want me as a new leader” Cassie said a hint of worry in her voice “I’m scared that I’m never ever going to be good enough” 

Max looked at her sternly “if my reckoning is correct, the architect or your God guy, would think you perfect even if you aren’t physically perfect, and you don’t need to worry about what others think of you, they will accept you and love you anyway, and if anything else, mr Millstone, Doctor Fenhill, Miss Holcomb and the rest of the crew don’t think any less of you, and I certainly don’t, you’re perfect in every way, because you’re you” 

“You’re just saying that because you’re a Vicar and are supposed to”

“I can be an asshole if I wanted to, you’re well aware of that fact”

Cassie acknowledged that fact but still refused to look at him “so why aren’t you? I’ve been rude to you and selfish and reckless in the past day and now all that has gotten me here” 

“You’re upset, it’s understandable, but the truth I gave you _three_ days ago, hasn’t changed just because you’re now physically disabled” 

That caused her to turn her head in his direction but she still refused to look directly at him, shock and panic written on her face and her voice

“Three- I’ve been out cold for three days? But I can’t have been, it was only supposed to be a quick trip to get something, and then go, Phineas could be in trouble! He could have been caught by the board, ratted out, who knows” 

“Cassie, I assure you, Phineas is safe, we heard from him this morning” Max calmed Cassie’s anxiety, oh law, just trying to get her to rest from an injury that could be made worse from rushing was proving difficult “he was actually checking up on you, it seems like the old scientist really does care about you” Max noted

“I suppose we’re good friends at this point” she shrugged looking down at her lap “I guess he’s the closest thing I have to a father figure now, weird as that is- anyway, what truth did you tell me three days ago?” 

“You don’t remember?” 

“It’s... fuzzy? I remember narrowly avoiding Marauders, being cold, I think we were talking about my parents but I don’t remember why and I can’t remember quite what else was said” Cassie admitted “but that’s normal, I’ve clearly got temporary memory loss from the concussion, I might need some help to help to remember though” she asked twiddling her fingers in a fidgety way, the way she stimmed when she was anxious. Max smiled at that, he did enjoy her little unique ways of telling people how she was feeling when she couldn't necessarily do it with words. 

“You haven’t a reason to worry, I pretty much admitted my feelings for you, after I thought I could lose you during the initial panic of seeing you fall and evading those marauders and that was when you passed out, and that’s all you really need to know, and as I said before, they haven’t changed” 

Cassie looked up at him finally making an effort to make eye contact, which was difficult with the uncomfortable feeling filling her body, worrying that she was staring for too long at his green eyes. “was it a Good feeling or bad feeling?” She asked. 

“Good feeling, it was a good one” he smiled at her

“I don’t think I should be doing this” her hand making contact with his cheek, his skin had a hint of roughness to it from him ageing, bit was overall still smooth to the touch, without regarding his slight stubble of course “I’m scared of taking this too far, we won’t be able to turn back if-“ 

“Do not be afraid” Max interrupted her leaning into her hand “if this was meant happen, then it was meant to happen, and I know that romantic relationships in the clergy are frowned upon in the OSI but, rest assured I would endure hell and high water when it comes to you-“ he said trying to reassure her, but now it was her turn to interrupt him and suddenly she brought his lips to hers. It was softer, than she’d imagined but full of emotion, and longing and it honestly made the Captain wonder what had been going on in the vicar’s head for the past three days and exactly how long from the moment they first met had he’d been waiting for one of them to make that first move? It was everything she dreamed it was and more, but alas she had to pull away at some point and it happened sooner rather than later, when they both really needed to breathe. 

“Architect almighty, Cassie, that was-“ Max sighed as he rested his forehead against hers

“A long time coming?” She asked 

“Something like that” he smiled “I doubt we can go back to the way things were now” 

“I don’t think I’d want to, unless it’ll mess your service to the OSI up” 

Max opened his eyes at that, she was still thinking about him, not her, but the well-being of her crew members, she was still being her selfless self.

“Nothing, not even my service to the OSI, is worth you” he whispered, and as he did, Max wasn’t sure whether he was reassuring her or himself at this point, reassuring himself he was right in his temptation, right in where the Architect needed him to be. Cassie smiled slightly at this confession, it was a warm smile one of sincerity, not malice and Max had a feeling he’d be seeing that a lot more, he was about to lean in to capture her lips once more when they both heard a cheer from the door way 

“Oh yes!” 

Cassie opened her eyes quickly and both their heads snapped towards the door way. 

“Sorry Captain, I didn’t mean to overhear” Ellie stood in the doorway, with the Adreno she said she’d get for the Captain “but I just won ten bits from Felix” she grinned 

“You were, betting on me and Max?” Cassie asked curiously as Max stared annoyed at the Medic

“No, just betting on how long it would take Vicky here to admit his obvious feelings to you” she put down the drugs “now if you’ll excuse me Captain, I have some bits to collect” and she left the room running down the hallway shouting for Felix to pay up. Cassie laughed at the shenanigans of her shipmates of course Felix would probably make a bet with Ellie about that

“Way to ruin the moment” Max grumbled 

“Ah don’t worry Vicar, they’ll be plenty more of those moments” 

“There will?” He questioned

“Well, we can’t just leave it like that can we? Please could you pass me my Inhaler and three Adreno?” Cassie asked politely the Vicar got up without saying a word and did as the Captain said, handing her the emergency medical inhaler, where she inserted the healing drugs and breathed three times before trying to get up, swinging her legs over the bed and easing herself off it, she limped a few steps towards the door before falling forwards, but she didn’t hit the floor, Max caught her, 

“Cassie, take it easy” 

Cassie smiled at him “I’m fine just not to walking after three days” 

He rolled his eyes at her 

“You know” Cassie said “if you just wanted to hold me you could have let me know” 

“If I recall correctly, Captain, you fell into me, I merely caught you” 

“Well I have a habit of falling for good looking men” Cassie said in an attempt as flirting 

Max let out a chuckle “I’m afraid your poor attempt at flirting has not worked at impressing me, Cassiopeia” 

“Hmm lucky i don’t need to impress you, when I already have you” she smiled cheekily 

“that is a truth I am not going to dispute” Max said leaning into kiss her again but they heard a cough from the door 

“Sorry Captain, it’s me again, I was just wondering if their was a mistake on the medical files” Ellie said 

“Not that I know of?” Cassie said 

“Only, these medical records, in the system under Captain Hawthorne’s records, have the name Cassiopeia Layton on them” Ellie looked at the Captain knowingly “do you know anything about that?” 

“A system cock up?” 

“That what I suspected except, I just heard Vicky here call you Cassiopeia” Ellie pointed out 

Cassie looked slightly panicked at Max, then at Ellie, the silence was telling to the doctor

“Captain, you’re not actually Alex Hawthorne are you?” 

_Oh fuck._

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! and yes, i am going to write a fic for both events i mentioned in the story (The truth drug incident and how Max found out about the captain's true identity and what happens immediately after Ellie finds out) and I have a one planned set post game so keep an eye out for those! I'm not quite done with writing stories for my new favourite game yet!


End file.
